Giving to the church is a demonstration of our faith; a demonstration that goes on to help people here in the Parish, in Columbia and throughout the world.

2018 Stewardship Season "Fixing our Eyes on Jesus"

Sunday, October 15 - Sunday, November 5

Hebrews 12: 1-3

Hebrews describes our life’s journey as a race. Like a journey, a race has a beginning and an end – a finish line. We are not to stand still, we are to progress, to grow in faith and in relationship with God. Stewardship is about our relationship with God and is part of our Christian race. God uses our time, talent, and money to accomplish his purposes on Earth. When it comes to money, the tithe is our standard. If we are not there, we are to be working toward it (The 1% Challenge). We are to “run” not walk, requiring effort and sacrifice.

To run a successful race, a runner will shed excess weight. Likewise, in our Christian race, the writer of Hebrews tells us to “throw off everything that hinders.” When it comes to stewardship, what weighs us down and slows our progress, causing us to “grow weary and lose heart”? There can be many reasons and they are not easily shed. Hebrews says they “entangle” us.

How do we throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles? Hebrews gives us the answer. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus, who lived as one of us and whose earthly race required death on a cross, which he endured because of the joy that awaited him. God and our salvation were at his finish line. What joy awaits us at our finish line? Revelation 21:3-4 describes it beautifully. Because Jesus finished his race, God will dwell once again among us, and we with him. There will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain.

During this stewardship season, let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus. He is both the one to whom we run and our companion along the way. May we all throw off every weight that hinders so we may give generously and cheerfully.

Consider taking the 1% challenge. On the following chart (click link below), find your annual income, then move across until you reach your current giving amount. This will determine your giving percentage. Move to the right to determine how much you are willing to grow in your annual pledge. For example, if in 2017 you gave 5%, consider giving 6% in 2018. Click here to view the chart.